Sutera plant named ‘Bushy White’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sutera  plant named ‘Bushy White’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and low mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; and numerous large white-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Sutera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bushy White’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant, botanically known as Sutera hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bushy White’.

The new Sutera originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2001 of an unnamed selection of Sutera hispida, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Sutera hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Bushy White was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the aforementioned cross-pollination in a controlled environment in George, South Africa in July, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in George, South Africa since November, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Sutera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Bushy White have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bushy White’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bushy White’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Sutera:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading and low mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Numerous large white-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Sutera have longer and narrower leaves and larger flowers.

Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Sutera have larger leaves and larger flowers. In addition, plants of the new Sutera and the male parent selection differ in leaf and flower color as plants of the male parent selection have lighter green-colored leaves and mauve to white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the Sutera hispida cultivar Giant Cloud, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Sutera differed from plants of the cultivar Giant Cloud in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sutera were not as flat and spreading as         plants of the cultivar Giant Cloud.     -   2. Plants of the new Sutera were faster growing than plants of         the cultivar Giant Cloud.     -   3. Plants of the new Sutera had larger leaves and flowers than         plants of the cultivar Giant Cloud.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Sutera.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bushy White’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Bushy White’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoor nursery during the summer with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranging from 13° C. to 18° C. Plants were grown in 15-cm containers and were about three months old. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Sutera hybrida cultivar Bushy White. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—An unnamed selection of Sutera             hispida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—An unnamed selection of Sutera             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three to four             weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Outwardly spreading and low mounding plant habit.             Freely and continuously branching with about six primary             lateral branches each with about eight secondary lateral             branches. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 62 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 47 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent; minute.             Strength: Strong. Color, young stems: 144A. Color, mature             stems: 199A to 199B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple. Length:             About 3 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Nearly entire with             shallow irregular serrations. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Venation pattern: Pinnate,             arcuate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 147B. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147B. Petiole             length: About 4 mm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Solitary axillary flowers;             salverform; slender corolla tubes flare abruptly into five             rounded lobes. Flowers persistent. Very freely flowering;             typically about 31 to 32 flower buds and open flowers per             lateral branch. Flowers face mostly upward or outward.             Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically flower from             spring until fall; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven days.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: 157A.         -   Corolla.—Quantity/arrangement: Five fused petals; slender             corolla tube flaring abruptly into five rounded lobes. Petal             lobe length from throat: About 7 mm. Petal lobe width: About             5 mm. Petal lobe shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal lobe apex:             Rounded. Petal lobe margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 155D. Flower throat (inside): 23A. Flower             tube (outside): Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Narrow, linear. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly rough.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 30° to 45° from the stem. Strength: Moderately strong             to strong. Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color: 145C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther             color: 14A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 23A.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1.2 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: 145D. Stigma             shape: Round. Stigma color: 145A. Ovary color: 145A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Sutera have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Sutera. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sutera have been observed to     have good garden performance. Plants of the new Sutera tolerate     temperatures from about 2° C. to 38° C. and to tolerate wind and     rain. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘Bushy White’, as illustrated and described. 